Approximately $260 million of new bank debt rated
New York, July 10, 2014 -- Moody's Investors Service has affirmed Osmose Holdings Inc.'s
B2 Corporate Family Rating ("CFR") and assigned B2 ratings
to the company's proposed senior secured credit facilities.
The rating outlook is stable.
"Expectations for more stable cash flows offset the modest increase
in leverage and contraction of Osmose's business profile following
the company's planned divestiture of two businesses,"
said Ben Nelson, Moody's Assistant Vice President and lead
analyst for Osmose Holdings Inc.
Osmose plans to sell the wood preservation chemicals and railroad services
business to Koppers Holdings Inc. (Ba3 stable) for $460
million. Proceeds will be used to fund a distribution to the company's
private equity sponsor and reduce secured debt from about $400
million to $235 million -- comprised of a new first lien senior
secured term loan. The new term loan, along with an undrawn
$25 million revolving credit facility, will be the preponderance
of debt remaining in the capital structure. Moody's estimates
relatively weak initial pro forma financial leverage in the low 5 times
(Debt/EBITDA) and owing to low-cost bank debt, relatively
strong interest coverage in the low 3 times (EBITDA-CapEx/Interest).
Moody's believes that the company will have a more stable operating
profile in the long-term despite a much-smaller revenue
base following the completion of the proposed divestitures. The
chemicals business being sold is tied to the cyclical housing industry,
particularly residential remodeling; exposed to fluctuations in the
price of copper, a key raw material for most products; and
competes in an industry with uncertain competitive dynamics and much stronger
competitors. The remaining utilities services business has more
stable customers and favorable long-term trends including tightening
regulatory requirements, aging utility infrastructure, and
increased customer outsourcing of maintenance and repair services.
New contract signings, combined with recent bolt-on acquisitions
and modest reduction in corporate overhead consistent with the company's
smaller profile, support our expectation for revenue growth and
margin expansion in 2014 and 2015. Moody's believes that
the expected improvement in operating performance, combined with
free cash flow in the mid single digit range (FCF/Debt), will enable
the company to reduce leverage by at least a full turn by the end of 2015.
However, the company's historical disposition toward acquisitions
and shareholder returns suggest a willingness to use its balance sheet
aggressively and loose terms of the covenant-lite credit facilities
will enable the company to maintain these financial policies going forward.
The company will not be required to comply with financial maintenance
covenants unless the revolver is drawn by more than 25%,
the point at which a springing leverage ratio test with equity cure rights
would apply. The credit agreement is also expected to have a carve-out
provisions allowing an additional $50 million (over 20%
of the initial term loan size) without any incurrence test and unlimited
additional debt subject to incurrence tests for both pari passu and junior
debt. These factors limit the consideration given to the prospective
improvement in key credit metrics.
Today's actions:
..Issuer: Osmose Holdings, Inc.
....Corporate Family Rating, Affirmed
B2;
....Probability of Default Rating, Affirmed
B2-PD;
....$25 million Senior Secured Revolving
Credit Facility, Assigned B2 (LGD4);
....$235 million Senior Secured Term
Loan, Assigned B2 (LGD4);
..Outlook, Stable
The assigned ratings remain subject to Moody's review of the final
terms and conditions of the proposed transaction expected to close in
the third quarter of 2014. The ratings on the company's existing
senior secured credit facilities are expected to be withdrawn.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The B2 Corporate Family Rating ("CFR") is constrained primarily
by a highly-leveraged balance sheet, small size relative
to rated peers in the business services industry, and aggressive
financial policies that have included multiple dividends, acquisitions,
and divestitures. Credit measures are adequate for the rating category
with relatively weak financial leverage and owing to low-cost bank
debt, relatively strong interest coverage and cash flow metrics.
The rating also benefits from favorable industry fundamentals, good
market positions, long-term contracts, modest capital
spending requirements, and good liquidity.
The principal methodology used in this rating was the Global Business
& Consumer Service Industry Rating Methodology published in October
2010. Other methodologies used include Loss Given Default for Speculative-Grade
Non-Financial Companies in the U.S., Canada
and EMEA published in June 2009. Please see the Credit Policy page
on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Osmose Holdings, Inc. provides utility pole inspection,
treatment, and restoration services to investor-owned utilities,
cooperatives, municipalities, and telecommunication utility
providers. The company also provides additional value-added
services such as storm response, manhole inspection, data
collection, and engineering services. Osmose has been owned
by investment funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
since a leveraged buyout transaction in early 2012. Headquartered
in Atlanta, Ga., the utilities services subsidiary
of the company generated $236 million of revenue in 2013.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the
support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive
rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt,
in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed
prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would
have affected the rating. For further information please see the
ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this rating action, the
associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Benjamin Nelson
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Alexandra S. Parker
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's affirms Osmose's B2 CFR; rates bank debt B2